


Trust In Me - Devotion

by Palefire73



Series: Trust In Me [3]
Category: Loki - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Loki guardian Angel, Loki saves a life, loki to the rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-13
Updated: 2015-01-13
Packaged: 2018-03-07 11:48:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3173012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Palefire73/pseuds/Palefire73
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>OK, theimpossiblewriter.deviantart… did ask if there could be another part - here it is!</p><p>Greta has built a life with the young farmhand, Hayden. But all is not well. Will Loki honour his promise?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trust In Me - Devotion

“Hayden?” Having lit her bedside oil lamp, Greta reached over to the sleeping form beside her. “Hayden? Wake up,  _please_. Something is wrong.”

Her husband of four years turned over, emerging from the veil of slumber and sleepily asked “What is it, my love?”

“Hayden, I do not feel right. There is something wrong. I know it.” Greta sat up slowly and placed her hand on her swollen belly. “I cannot feel our baby moving.”

Hayden sat up, the last vestiges of sleep disappearing quickly now as worry arose. He placed his hand on top of that of his beautiful wife and looked searchingly in her eyes.

“When? How long? When did you last feel anything?” he whispered with concern.  
“Just after supper, my love.” She replied. “But nothing since. I should feel  _something_. It has been several hours.” Her pretty face was taut with fear and her eyes were full of the promise of tears. “Hayden, I am scared!”

She had every right to be scared. This was her third pregnancy, yet they had no children. Twice before, Greta had reached the seventh month and then had lost their child. Last time, she had almost lost her life.

 

“Hayden. Take me to the shrine.”

“No!” He shouted, louder than he had intended. “Do not bring that nonsense into this! You need the bjargrýgr _._ **¹** _”  
_ “Hayden,  _please_  – trust me! My Gods are real, they truly are!”  
“NO! And that is my final word.”

He pulled the covers up around her and then got out of bed. Pulling on his breeches and a shirt, he said “I will fetch the bjargrýgr. She is our best option. Get some sleep and conserve your strength. You need to keep still and calm – for both your sakes.” He fastened his boots and leaned over to kiss her forehead. “I will be back within the hour.”

Greta smiled wearily and nodded “Go safely, my love.”

 

Upon hearing the door slam and horse’s hooves in the yard, Greta got out of bed and went downstairs. This was exactly the same as the last two times and she was terrified.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Following the visit from Loki five years ago, Greta’s visits to the shrine had lessened and consequently, she had more time for the people around her. She had fallen in love with the young farm hand who had courted her and they had wed, moved into their own small-holding and created a successful farming business. It was only natural they should want a family, but it seemed nature was not on their side.

Hayden had been fairly tolerant of her beliefs and her trips to the shrine, but deep down inside he did not believe a word of it when she spoke of how her God had visited her here on Earth. But now she had nowhere else to turn. It would take well over the hour Hayden had mentioned for him to bring the woman who aided mothers in the region back here. Greta pulled on a heavy coat and slipped on some boots, then left the house for the old paddock.

 

The night was clement and the full moon bathed the countryside in a pale light. The small lamp she took along help to light the way and in no time she was at her destination.

Kneeling down carefully, she placed the lamp so it illuminated the tiny entrance to the cave.

“Oh, Loki.” she said in a shaky voice. “Loki, if you can hear me now I beseech you, please hear my prayer.” Hot, salty tears made their way down her face as she continued. “Loki,  _please_. I need you. I truly need you in this desperate hour. If you are there, I  _beg_  of you, please hear my prayer.” Greta looked up to the starry heavens through the veil of her tears, “Please, Loki.” she whispered.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Heimdallr turned from the view of Midgard. He had observed Greta regularly ever since Loki had made his promise to look after her and knew of the troubles she had faced in trying to bear a child. Even if Loki had eventually forgotten her, the huge guardian had not. Motioning to a guard, he sent him to summon Loki immediately.

~~~

“Highness, Heimdallr urgently requires your presence.” The guard bowed deeply to Loki.

The Prince of Asgard dismissed the image of miniature duelling swordsmen he had conjured and rose from the chair. This sounded serious.

~~~

“What is it, Guardian?” Asked the pale-faced God of Mischief as he strode into the observatory.

“Highness, it is Greta.

The name rang a bell, yet Loki could not immediately place it. Then a flashback to a six year old trapped in a cave kindled his memory.

“Yes. What of her? Is she alright – not still wasting her life away over that shrine, I hope?”  
“No, not wasting away. She still attends it, though.” The guardian turned to face his Prince and his golden eyes betrayed his seriousness. “Do you recall your promise to her?”

“Promise?” Asked Loki, a small frown creasing his high, pale forehead. Something came back to him “Ah, yes. I remember influencing her to actually do something with her life!”

“No, Loki!” Heimdallr interrupted Loki, eliciting a glare from the sharp green eyes, “I mean your promise! I hope it was not given so lightly that you did not mean it.”

The final part of what he had said to Greta when he had seen her last suddenly clicked into place and Loki frowned again. “Of course not! I told her I would be there for her if she truly needed me!” He approached the platform of the observatory where Heimdallr stood. “Why? What is the matter? Does she ask for me?” Loki felt concern start to build within him; this mortal would not call upon him for no reason – something must be wrong.

 

“She is with child, Loki and she is going to lose it. This will be the third time."

 

The raven-haired Prince felt a pang of sadness for the girl whose life he was inextricably linked to.

“Open the Bi Frost, Heimdallr.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Greta stood carefully, picked up the lamp and turned to walk back to the house. A sharp pain lanced through her and caused her to fall to her knees. She cried out as the pain tore through her again.  _No! No, this could not be! Not again!_

In her distress, she did not see the column of light behind the trees in the next field. She did not hear him running towards her, calling her name and, as she blacked out in her agony, she did not feel him lift her and carry her home.

~~~

Loki entered the house and took Greta upstairs to the bedroom, where he gently laid her on the mattress.

“Greta?” He smoothed her hair from her fevered brow. A new spasm crossed her body and her eyes flew open as she screamed out her suffering, yet she did not see him in her delirium. Another wave of pain flooded her and her mouth gave forth a terrible shriek. Loki discarded his leather over coat and rolled up the sleeves of his green undershirt.

 

He needed to act. Now.

 

Placing his hands on Greta’s distended and rock-hard abdomen, he closed his eyes and started to mentally search for the little soul within, hoping it was still there. As the tiny, flickering and fading white light sensed him and heeded his comforting and soothing thoughts, Loki felt hope and redoubled his efforts. Another contraction tortured Greta’s body and the light stuttered, almost extinguished.  _NO! This could not happen!_  Loki concentrated as never before, stretching his magical abilities to the maximum. He surrounded Greta in a warm green aura, which permeated her body and enveloped the tiny soul inside in a protective blanket. Infusing her baby with a green healing magic, he felt the tiny thing start to feed on it, gaining strength and growing more stable. In a bizarre draining of his power, Loki felt the baby connect with him, turn back from the brink of oblivion and start to blossom as his magic infused it and nourished it.

~~~

Hayden arrived back at the house and helped the bjargrýgr off her horse. Seeing strange green lights coming from the house, they both ran inside and up the stairs. Upon seeing a stranger leaning over the unconscious form of his wife, Hayden roared in anger and lunged forward.

“No, Hayden, be at peace. Greta and your child are going to be alright.” The tall dark-haired man turned his luminous green eyes upon him and Hayden felt himself relax despite his fear and anxiety. “Please, leave us while I finish my work.” said the man with the pale, angular features in a commanding yet gentle voice and it was then that Hayden realised just who was attending his sick wife.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Heimdallr greeted Loki, who was out of breath, having ridden his stallion hard to reach the observatory upon being summoned.

 

“It is time, Highness.” he said and moved to one side so the anxious-looking Prince could join him on the platform of the Bi Frost Observatory. As he had a few times now, Loki submitted to the will of the Guardian of Asgard and allowed the images to flood his mind.

It was indeed time! As he focussed on the scene, Hayden mopped Greta’s brow and she gave a final push. It was not usual for men to be present at a birth, but this was one very important child. The bjargrýgr quickly scooped the brand new life up and brought her to Greta’s breast to suckle. Hayden, who was crying and grinning at the same time, kissed his wife’s forehead and told her she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

After a short time the babe released Greta’s breast, sated by her first milk. Hayden took her and wrapped her in a soft blanket, then sat beside his wife as they cooed over her. The tiny girl made funny faces and clenched her tiny fists as her eyes took in the vague shapes around her.

 

Loki’s heart soared as she seemed to somehow detect him and miraculously stare right where he was looking down from.

 

For the newborn babe’s eyes were of the clearest emerald green.  
  
  


##### Note¹  **bjargrýgr** = Old Norse for Midwife. Literal meaning is “Helping Woman”


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